Iphigenia in Splott: Theatre Review

Iphigenia in Splott

Iphigenia in Splott Rating

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The Old Fitz is a small and intimate theatre in the basement of the charming Old Fitzroy Hotel in Woolloomooloo, providing the perfect setting for this powerful, modern Greek tragedy. Gary Owen’s one-woman monologue was first performed in 2015 and has gone on to become a classic staple of international theatre that’s remained just as important and relevant today as it was ten years ago.

Effie is a tough, spirited and crass young woman from Cardiff, Wales, who is proud of her rebellious nature and life of clubbing, drinking, and sleeping around. When society looks on women like Effie, dressed in their tracksuit pants and sneakers, smoking and drinking and swearing, they can be quick to judge. And this initial judgement of others and its impact sits at the very heart of the play.

Meg Clarke brought Effie to life with a heart-felt and powerful performance. She’s a natural storyteller, never faltering or losing her accent. There was just one moment, near the end, where the emotions seemed to overpower her and she needed a discreet moment to get composed. More power to her, I say, for being that deeply invested in the character.

At first, I wondered where the monologue was going and why this play is considered a ‘must see.’ Why should I care about Effie’s humorous hijinks, drinking prowess, and day to day life. Obviously, this was all establishing her character and circumstances.

As the narrative developed, and the stakes were raised, it was captivating. Looking around the audience, everyone was sitting forward in their seats, absolutely engrossed in the performance, eager to find out what was going to happen next. There were real moments of shock, tension, humour, beauty, and tragedy that we can all relate to in some way or another, leading to a powerful and tragic climax that will have some people reconsidering how they view others in society. About the many hidden sacrifices that go unacknowledged. Unappreciated. About how we are all human. And I guess that’s what makes this story so captivating. It’s so REAL.

Lucy Clements’ direction was fantastic, making the most of the sparse set and limited space. The timing, the pacing, the humour and tragedy, were all perfectly crafted to keep the audience deeply enthralled. There were no distractions from the story. The entire production team, working invisibly behind the scenes to support Meg’s performance, should be commended.

Everything from the costume, sets, lighting and sound helped build the world that Effie travelled through; from the nightclubs to hospitals to suburban streets. After Effie delivered her final, powerful monologue I felt drained and empty. There was a moment of real reflection that was hard to snap out of. And then, as the lights came up to reveal Meg Clarke bowing to the audience, they couldn’t help but give her a standing ovation. And I think that speaks for itself.

Iphigenia in Splott is currently playing at the Old Fitz Theatre in Woolloomooloo, Sydney until March 22.

To book tickets to Iphigenia in Splott, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/iphigenia-in-splott.

Photographer: Phil Erbacher

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Iphigenia In Splott: Full of Heart and Swagger

Iphigenia in Splott

Iphigenia In Splott Rating

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Wow! This award-winning play, written by Gary Owen and directed by Gary Abrahams, was a sharp, funny, and insightful social commentary that had us hooked from the second we filed into our seats in the intimate venue. We were surprised by the bored-looking ‘Iphi’, our hostess for the evening, splayed out on an office chair scrolling through her phone.

A rather disarming beginning to an incredible 90-minute tour de force by lead (and only) actress Jessica Clarke, who introduces herself in a spiky but funny, straight to audience, verbal assault as the hard drinking, hard living and brazen ‘Iphi’. Delightedly calling us out from the get go on our rapidly forming judgements around who she is – a ‘stupid slag’; a drunken, loud-mouthed ‘skank’ – and she warns us that we’ll be thanking her by the end of her story. That every one of us will ‘owe’ her. She then swaggers over and forcefully drags us into her narrow, seemingly empty life in a tiny welsh town notable only for it’s utter lack of jobs, amenities and, most importantly, hope.

Jessica Clarke is visceral and frightening as Iphi, moving far too easily between dangerous, psychotic, deluded, cheeky, funny and raw before finally revealing herself to be heartbreakingly self-aware; all in an insanely high octane performance that has the audience spellbound. Iphi’s story is not unique sadly. We have all met people whose idea of a good time is to get blackout drunk and shag the nearest person just to make even a tenuous connection.

Or, as she puts it, get drunk enough that the hangover will get her through the week. Another week where, without the blackout drinking, she would have to sit in her flat with absolutely nothing to do and nowhere to go. No purpose and no money, staring down the barrel of the empty, pointless life she lives in a town that has all but disappeared due to ‘government cuts’.

 

In one largely empty, room that doubles as her flat, the pub, the doctors, the hospital and more, Iphi guides us acerbically through her strained familial relationships, romantic liaisons and delusions, difficult situations both emotional and phsyical, right to the bleeding edges of her heartbreak and all with her trademark sharp humour and her ‘get on with it’ courage, wearing her ability to take the knocks and keep getting back up, like a badge of honour. Yes, she is formidable but ultimately not unbreakable and it is this slow unfolding of Iphi’s deeper scars that makes the play so remarkable and so moving.

She represents all the young disenfranchised and marginalised working class inhabitants of tiny, run down places which the rest of us avoid at all costs. People whose lives are constrained by lack and loss and who are forced to survive on the dirty, frayed edges of ‘eyesore’ society.

Iphi aggressively points out our privilege and dares us to judge another actions when we have not walked in their shoes, all the while still longing to be seen, wanted and loved unconditionally in a world that just keeps on swinging for her.

This might all sound rather bleak but despite the grit there is so much humour here and Iphi’s story is, ultimately, transformative.

And whilst the audience was captivated and repelled in equal measure by this scrappy, dangerous human who likes a fight, a drink and a shag, by the end we were all drying our eyes on sleeves and tissues, unravelled, a little ashamed and very definitely in awe of what a ‘skank’ can do.

Seriously go and see this play. Get your tickets now. It’s only on until the 22nd September and it may well be the best thing you see this year. You can thank me later.

Book your tickets @ https://www.redstitch.net/iphigenia-in-splott-2024

Performance Dates/Times
4 Sept – 22 Sept

Wed – 6.30pm
Thur – Sat 7.30pm
Sun – 6.30pm
Sat Matinee 14th Sept – 2pm

Q&A Post Show
Thur 12th Sept – 7.30pm

Photographer: Jodie Hutchinson

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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